weather

Appy Weather is a somewhat modest Windows Phone weather app that delivers the forecast with a slight personal tone. It presents the forecast conditions in your traditional sense but adds how the expected conditions will compare with the current. The minimalistic design looks good and while there are some features we'd like to see added, Appy Weather does a very nice job of things.

The Windows Phone app has seen a flurry of updates over the past months that have added new features and customizations to the mix. The most recent update pushed out this morning sending the weather app to version 1.3. The version 1.3 update for Appy Weather most notably adds the ability to re-organize the settings menu, more options for notifications, and severe weather alert notifications.

This morning, Microsoft detailed plans to push their Bing apps, like Weather, Finance, Food, News, to the MSN branding. Microsoft started this process some time ago when they first ditched 'Bing' in the name of those apps, and instead kept them with just their category-generic names.

During the Microsoft #moreLumia event last week, I showed you folks how the Microsoft Weather app and Lumia Denim play nicer together. Specifically, Glance gets what look to be third-party app support, letting other Lock screen apps appear on the Glance screen (see it above on a Lumia 830).

I also dug deeper into the Weather app as it is called 'Weather beta' in the app listing. This section is where I first noticed the 'MSN Weather' name pop up as seen in the About section of the app.

Appy Weather has joined the ranks of the numerous weather apps available in the Windows Phone Store. It hopes to stand out from the pack by offering a more personal approach to the weather forecast and a simple interface.

While Appy Weather lacks weather radar and weather alerts (catch the update at the end for this has changed), its minimal design does look good and the app does deliver a healthy amount of forecast information to your Windows Phone. Appy Weather makes a nice first impression and while there is room for improvement, the app comes across as a solid weather source for your Windows Phone.

The Windows Phone Central Forums is a great place to visit when you're in the mood to chat it up about Windows Phone. One area of the forums that is always full of surprises is the Developers Beta Testing forums. You can get a sneak peek at what apps and games are in the works or sign up to beta test these Windows Phone titles.

One app caught our attention the other day and while it's yet another Windows Phone weather app, Weathr is being re-written to take advantage of new Windows Phone 8.1 features. There is a current version of Weathr available in the Windows Phone Store but the developer wants to put the new version through the ringer and needs beta testers to help identify bugs, glitches and areas of improvement.

Weather Hound is one of our favorite Windows Phone weather apps. Its minimalistic design delivers a healthy amount of forecast information that includes your current weather conditions, an hourly forecast and a seven-day forecast. Add Live Tile and Lockscreen support and Weather Hound is a solid, attractive looking Windows Phone weather app.

An update is now available for Weather Hound that takes the app to version 2.0 that has the customary bug fixes and performance enhancements along with support for HD lockscreens on 1GB+ devices, weather alerts, and more.

For those not familiar, Weather Hound is a Windows Phone weather app that approaches things in a simple manner. The app offers, in minimalistic fashion, a weather summary with the core forecast information along with hourly forecasts and a seven-day forecast. You can set Weather Hound up to provide the forecast information based on your Windows Phone location or turn off your Location Services and set the location manually.

We were tipped on a relatively new Windows Phone 8 weather app the other day and while we have plenty of weather app options, this one ain't too shabby. Skyline has a minimalist appearance that delivers the basic weather information along with an interesting map feature.

Yes. It is another Windows Phone weather app but Skyline has enough appeal and gusto to stand out from the pack.

Prognoza is an attractive Windows Phone 8 weather app that delivers the basic forecast information to your phone. The app recently won the Windows Phone Challenge in Bosnia/Herzegovina this year and while we have plenty of weather apps in the Windows Phone Store, Prognoza does have a certain level of eye-appeal.

If you're looking for a basic weather app for your Windows Phone, Prognoza is worth a look.

Weather Premium takes on the weather in a common sense approach but does not stray from the traditional forecasts too far.

Weather Premium offers the weather forecast in three styles, Classic, Clother and Awesome. While the Windows Phone weather app lacks radar and severe weather alerts, Weather Premium does a nice job presenting the basic weather information to get you through the day.

Color Weather is a no-nonsense weather app for Windows Phone 8. The minimalistic design changes the background color dynamically depending on the current temperature.

Along with the current conditions, Color Weather offers a five-day forecast so you can better plan your week. The weather app does have Live Tile support and while Color Weather’s simple design has a certain level of appeal, it may be too minimalistic for some.

Windows Phone Central App Roundup: Weather Apps

There is little debate on whether or not we have an ample selection of weather related apps in the Windows Phone Store. Some will argue we have too many Windows Phone weather apps, while others like the variety and options available. Regardless of your position, when the weather starts to turn south some of these apps can help you keep track of severe weather situations in your area.

As Spring quickly approaches so does the Spring severe weather season. Many parts of the U.S. will see weather events ranging from dangerous thunderstorms to deadly tornadoes. Some of us will also be facing Hurricane Season in a few months, which will present more severe weather potential. For this week’s Windows Phone Central roundup, we focus on Windows Phone weather apps that do more than just give you the current temperature and weekly forecast. We will highlight four of the top rated weather apps that have a little more meat on the bone when it comes to delivering weather information to your Windows Phone.

Weather On A String is one of the latest weather apps to hit the Windows Phone Store. The Windows Phone 8 app approaches things in a minimalistic manner with simple graphics and gesture based navigation.

Weather On A String does support worldwide forecast locations and has an interesting feature that is dubbed Umbrella Mode. While Weather On A String has mild appeal and decent potential, some may find it too minimalistic as your daily Windows Phone weather source. The app is worth checking out but its appeal may not transfer to everyone.

Do I need an umbrella today? Most of you answer this by just looking out your window when you wake up. That might cut it in a place like southern California, but head anywhere else and you’re going to need to check the weather forecast to dress accordingly. Let’s check out the best weather apps on Windows 8.

Weather apps are a little tricky to review and rank. There are many different users who all look for something different from a weather app. You know, different strokes for different folks. Some put a higher importance on accuracy, while others want a weather app that looks good. We spent the last few days trying out a handful of weather apps in the Windows Store and walked away being most impressed by the following. In no particular order, here they are.

Design Me is a Windows Phone 8 app that is a collection of personal management tools designed to help you make it through the week. Released last Fall, the app snuck in under our radar but, luckily, a recent update and a few tips alerted us to Design Me.

The Windows Phone 8 app comes across as a well-designed, feature rich Windows Phone 8 app. Design Me will not only help you keep track of your appointments but also has the ability to let you know what the weather should be like, set alarms so you won't sleep through the next appointment and record notes to preserve thoughts and other items you want to remember.

After using Design Me for a few days, we can see why it gets such good reviews in the Windows Phone Store.

Some may argue there are way too many weather apps available for our Windows Phone. However, having such a vast selection the odds of finding that one Windows Phone weather app that matches your needs and tastes increases. If you are looking for a simple, picturesque weather app for Windows Phone 8, Weatherfrog hopes to make your short list of choices.

The app features dynamic background images that match your current location and a modest amount of forecast information. Weatherfrog hit the Windows Phone Store shelves about a month ago and is yet another weather app option worth considering for your Windows Phone.

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (www.smhi.se) has launched an official app for Windows Phone. Due to levels of demand displayed in Sweden, the SMHI app is now available in the region (the only supported language is Swedish). While the app itself appears to be rather limited in advanced functionality, it's an official offering and a beta at that.

GetOutCast is a relatively new weather app for Windows Phone 8 that focuses on how the weather will impact your photography. GetOutCast rates the photographic potential for the date and offer up a brief weather forecast. The first release of GetOutCast focuses on sunrise and sunset predictions with future updates delivering landscape, astrological, lunar, and other photographic subjects.

GetOutCast is an interesting concept and that could come in handy when planning a photographic outing.

The visually appealing weather app for Windows Phone, Bright Weather is already available for a low fee with a trial to boot. The developer has looked at consumers who enjoy downloading apps for free and has decided to release a fully featured, free version of Bright Weather. The only difference being the inclusion of advertisements.

Weather Hound is a simple Windows Phone 8 weather app that provides you with the basics on the current weather conditions, an hourly forecast and a seven-day, extended forecast. You can track the weather based on your current location or set a fixed location in the app’s settings.

Weather Hound was updated today to version 1.2.1 that adds doublewide tile support. The wider Live Tile displays your current conditions along with a three day, extended forecast.

Howeather is not your typical Windows Phone 8 weather app. It does not have weather forecasts, radar images or severe weather alerts. Instead, Howeather delivers an Instagram-like social network where you can share your current weather conditions with others and ask other members “how’s the weather?”

As you interact with the Howeather network, you will earn experience points that will translate to weather badges. It is a rather unique approach to sharing and gathering weather information from your Windows Phone. Howeather does need to build up its user base to be effective though.